It's the pigeons
by Nenime Fish
Summary: Ashes to Ashes fic, set after episode 8. A bit of Alex and Gene drunken silliness with some angst, comfort and fluff thrown in for good measure. Yeah, I'm rubbish at summaries. One shot, no real spoilers.


_A/N: Hello! This is my first fanfic in a couple of years, and my first attempt at writing Gene and Alex. __It started off as a silly short story inspired by something I doodled, then escalated into a larger story with a bit of humour, fluff and comfort. I hope you enjoy it! Please Read & Review, I've just gone with the flow here. I'd love to know what you think. Its un beta'd so all cock ups are mine._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gene and Alex, the BBC have em locked up somewhere. Probably in an underground vault._

**It's the pigeons**

Alex and Gene stumbled up the stairs together to her flat. She toppled backwards and into his chest giggling. She had definitely had too much to drink and was finding everything very funny, including the fact that her DCI was looking down at her cross eyed. Gene put one arm round her to steady her, while the other held onto the banister to stop them both rolling downstairs back to the bar. They'd been in Luigi's celebrating the arrest of a notorious drugs and weapons dealer since half seven, the whole team downing pint after pint and it had taken a toll on them both. Now it was nearly 1 am he was concentrating on getting Alex upstairs while remaining upright himself.  
He looked down at her and found her large hazel eyes staring up at him. Gene looked back at her, vaguely aware that he had gone slightly cross eyed.  
"Wot?" he muttered. She grinned and attempted to focus on his face. She'd definitely had too much to drink but it had been nice celebrating with the whole team, including Shaz who had recovered fully from her accident. It took her mind off the fact that she was no closer to getting home to Molly.

Her mind was now wondering all over the place, stopping on the fact that Gene's hair had flopped into his face. A wicked grin spread across her features, she straightened up and quick as a flash reached up with one hand and ruffled his hair. Alex caught a brief look of shock and disbelief cross his face before she turned and- with surprising speed for someone who had had as many glasses of wine she had- dashed up the stairs laughing.  
Gene stood on the staircase, one arm hanging in mid air where his DI had shot off and a look of amused shock on his face. _"Bloody fruitcake"_ he thought, and went up after her. He wanted to make sure she got into her flat ok and didn't end up on the roof or something equally stupid. He reached the landing in time to see her fiddling with the key in the door of her flat, she hadn't heard him approach and he snuck up behind her, a smirk on his face.  
Alex let out a yelp as Gene pounced on her, grabbing her round waist with one arm and messing up her hair with another.  
"Noooo Geeene!" she protested giggling, turning and pushing against Gene's chest in a vein attempt to get away. He smirked again.  
"Not until you apologise for assaultin' a superior officer, DI fruitcake." He replied, continuing his attack on her curls. She pulled a face and he chuckled quietly, she was like a small child. It was better than being quietly moody, which had been her default setting since the Price's had got blown up. He stopped messing her hair up and looked down at her and found himself thinking that it was good to see her smiling again, even if she _was_ nuttier than squirrel shit.

Alex looked up at Gene, his blue eyes focusing on her surprisingly well considering he was as drunk as she was. She smiled up at him and waved an arm at the door.  
"I can't get my flat open." She stated and frowned "It's the pigeons" He laughed and wondered not for the first time what was going on in her head. Deciding to play along he replied  
"Pigeons, Bolly? An' wot would pigeons want with your flat?" She looked at him like he was an idiot.  
"They were following me this morning." She explained slowly, swaying slightly. "It's my subconscious, its mocking me." She tapped the side of her temple and Gene shook his head and smiled. Definitely as nutty as squirrel shit that woman, common sense of a grain weevil at the best of times but it was obvious that Luigi's crap excuse for wine had gone straight to her head. He reached past her and turned the key in the lock for her flat, pushing the door open with one hand.  
"No pigeons Bolls, see?" She turned and wobbled her way through the door, kicking her boots off. Gene followed her and promptly fell over said boots.  
"Bloody ell." He muttered, steadying himself on the wall. She stood watching him with an amused expression on her face. He straightened up and wondered over to her.  
"Well then Bollinger knickers, now that yer safely ome, an' theres no pigeons" he smirked "I'll be off. See yer Monday." Alex's eyes widened and she strode over to him and grabbed his arm.  
"You're not going anywhere DCI Hunt because _you_" she pointed at him and tried not to make her eyes cross and focus on him "have had a lot to drink. And there is no way I am letting _you_ drive like that." She prodded his chest and glared at him.  
Gene sighed. He wanted to argue but he knew she was right, he shouldn't drive in his state and he'd hate it if he ended up wrapping the quattro round the tree.  
"So then Bolly, wot do you suggest I do? Fly ome?" He smirked and she rolled her eyes.  
"Stay here." She said. "The bed's through there." She pointed in the direction of the room. He chuckled.  
"Bit eager there aren't ya Bolls?" Alex rolled her eyes again and wished she hadn't, it was making her dizzy.  
"No" she explained slowly like he was a moron "I'm on the sofa, see?" she pointed at her zebra print sofa, where there was a blanket and a couple of pillows.  
"My bed." He frowned at her.  
"Why aren't ya sleepin' in yer bed?" His blue eyes bore into hers and she looked away.  
"The clown will get me" she muttered. He chuckled again but suddenly she looked hurt and turned away, walking towards the window. He stood there awkwardly, trying to work out what to do. His head was telling him to just kick off his boots and nod off on the sofa, but his gut-and experience- told him that when females do that they will hold it against you if you ignore them. All the logic combined with the alcohol was making his head hurt.

Alex stood by the window, looking out onto the dark street. Her alcohol induced happiness was quickly vanishing; Gene asking about her sleeping arrangements brought the reality of the clown, her parents and Molly crashing back to her. She hadn't slept in her own bed in a few weeks, not since before the accident. Not since she realised it had been Gene of all people in her bed with her. Alex ran a hand through her messed up hair and sighed- then jumped when Gene grabbed her shoulder and spun her round. He suddenly pulled her into a tight bear hug and she was crushed into his chest.  
To his relief, she put her arms round him and rested her head on his chest, tucking it under his chin. He had been worried he'd made the wrong decision and would be slapped away.  
They stood there for what seemed like forever before Alex finally spoke  
"Whats this for?" she muttered. Her eyes were shut and she had relaxed into him.  
"Seemed like you needed it." He muttered into her hair, raising one hand to smooth it down where he had assaulted it earlier. She smiled and pulled back, still with their arms round each other she looked up at him.  
"I did. Thank you." Gene smiled at her slightly  
"S'all right."  
They stayed looking at each other for a moment before she raised her hand, attempting to smooth his hair down. She smiled then yawned, covering her mouth with her hand, suddenly exhausted.  
"Bed time Bolly." He murmured, "You'll have a hell of a hangover in the morning." She nodded and headed towards the sofa.  
"Night then." She was about to sit down but Gene picked her up.  
"I am not kickin' yer out of yer own bed." He said, walking her through to the bedroom and dropping her on the bed. "I'll 'ave the sofa. Night Bolls."  
Before she could argue he was back through to the living room. She sighed and pulled on her pijamas, pulling on a soft pair of trousers aswell as her shirt seeing as Gene was in the next room. Didn't want to forget and give him a shock in the morning. Alex pulled the sheets back and settled down, drifting off almost instantly.

--

Gene was jerked awake with a start as a half awake Bolly climbed onto the sofa next to him.  
"What the ell?!" She was now lying facing him and in serious danger of landing on the floor.  
"Bolly?" she can't have gotten back to sleep that quickly. He moved so he was on his side and the sudden movement caused her to topple backwards, saved only from an undignified landing on the floor by Gene grabbing her round the waist.  
"What the ell are ya doin?" She opened her eyes and looked up at him drowsily.  
" s my bed. I told you." She closed them again and pulled herself further onto the sofa by wrapping her arm round his chest. Gene sighed. This was wrong. He should be at his flat, passed out fully clothed on his bed. Not lying on his DI's sofa with said DI pressed against him, arms round each other and her perm up his nose and his other arm going dead because she was lying on it.

Meanwhile, Alex lay still, eyes shut & her breathing shallow. Hopefully she could convince him she was asleep. She had managed an hour or so earlier before the clown had laughed its way into her dreams, filling her head with images of the explosion, Molly… and Gene dead on a mortuary table. It had felt so real, she was so sure he was dead that when she had woken with a start she had just had to check that he was still there.  
She rested her forehead against his chest and opened her eyes. There was no use pretending anymore. Alex could feel his eyes on her and she raised her head to meet his gaze.  
"So you goin' ta tell me why ye've decided ta join me?" Gene said, holding his gaze with hers, blue eyes on hazel. His head was telling him this was wrong, to get up, to go. But his gut was telling him to stay there with her in his arms, and she had always told him to follow his gut instinct.  
"C'mon. You can tell me."  
Alex looked at him. Her construct, her DCI, her _friend_. The person she felt closest to in this strange world she had created. The person she would miss the most when she left and got back to Molly. Assuming she would get back and that she hadn't already died on a boat in 2008.  
_Molly…  
_  
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and suddenly Alex found herself telling Gene everything. How she might not ever get back to her daughter, how her parents had been blown up in front of her, the clown that haunted her dreams and how she might be dead on a boat in London 27 years in the future. And while she talked, Gene listened quietly. She wondered if he thought her a total nut job, but if he doubted her sanity he never said anything. He just listened and Alex was grateful for that, in the end that was all she really needed.  
She reached the end of her story, her voice now just above a whisper. Gene pulled her closer and stroked her hair soothingly while she cried silently into his shirt. They stayed like that and she drifted off into a quiet sleep. He sighed and planted a kiss on the top of her head. This might not be right, and she might be a fruitcake, but Bolly was his fruitcake, and he was damned if he was leaving her alone.

The last thing he heard before he drifted off to sleep was a mutter coming from somewhere near his chest.  
"_Damn pigeons."_

_--_

_Well, I hope you enjoyed it! :)_


End file.
